The beauty of this mutant strain of the fungus Trichoderma reesei belies the organism's potential for dismantling biomass. The study and characterization of this fungus - particularly its proficient production of biomass-degrading enzymes - are critical for the development of more efficient and economical methods for turning biomass into fuels and other products. This image was captured with a helium ion microscope at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory at PNNL. Visit our Flickr site (  http://bit.ly/PNNLScienceArt) for more Science as Art images and the stories behind them.  

Research Partners: Tokyo Institute of Technology  

Mayenite can be turned from an insulator to a transparent conductor and back. It is also suitable for use as semiconductors in flat panel displays. This flexibility is due to a tiny change in its chemical composition. In new work published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists show how components called electron anions help transform crystalline mayenite, also called C12A7, into semiconducting glass. For flat panel makers, this may lead to the replacement of indium and gallium with abundant non-toxic elements like calcium and aluminum. >MORE  
 
Research Partners: Oregon State University; Institut für Bodenlandschaftsforschung (Germany) 
 
The degradation of soil organic matter by microbes plays an important role in atmospheric carbon levels. A recent study published in the journal Langmuir examined how soil minerals affect the stability of microbial proteins, potentially influencing the rate of carbon dioxide release into the atmosphere. The findings show interactions with the surface of birnessite, but not other common soil minerals, have potential to substantially alter the structure of bacterial proteins. This research sheds new light on how protein-mineral interactions affect degradation rates of soil organic matter
. >MORE 

Research Partners: Montana State University; Los Alamos National Laboratory

Scientists are learning more about chemical interaction mechanisms that may be responsible for the high amount of sugar-like material found in sea spray. The material is produced from ocean bubbles that burst and launch the tiny particles into the atmosphere. Ultimately, research will show how these particles impact the brightness of the cloud layers formed above the ocean, which have an effect on the Earth's climate. This research was published in Geophysical Research Letters . >MORE

Research Partners: University of Florida; Brookhaven National Laboratory   

Tiny particles of gold are highly stable and have features that make them ideal for many industrial applications. The challenge? It is difficult to control the size and shape of single-crystal nanostructures. Scientists have now revealed a key role for a surfactant called polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in the growth of gold nanocrystals upon exposure to visible light. The findings, published in Nature Materials, could be used to optimize properties of gold nanocrystals for specific industrial and medical applications. >MORE 

Research Partners: Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute; NASA Ames Research Center      

The search for signs of ancient life on Mars has come to PNNL, where Sherry Cady, an expert on rock chemistry and microbial signatures, is part of a team that is investigating if there has ever been life on the red planet. Research will advance detection strategies to support the search for fossilized life. Rovers are expected to be sent to Mars in 2020 by the NASA and European ExoMars programs. >MORE

A cyber-defense software system mimics the behavior of an ant colony to protect against hackers; It's one of five PNNL-developed technologies in the running for an R&D 100 Award. The Ant-Based Cyber Defense tool works by enabling a small "ant-like" program to wander from device-to-device. If the ants detect an anomaly, they alert a human by "swarming" to an area under attack. Watch as PNNL researcher Glenn Fink explains how the innovation works. >VIEW
Opportunities, News & Resources 

Baskaran 
Liu 
Truman 
Shaw 
Tonkyn 
Distinguished Postdoc Opportunity: PNNL is seeking the next generation of scientists and engineers for the Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship. Pauling Fellows are mentored by internationally recognized researchers and are equipped with the resources to carry out a research program of their own design.

Achievement:
Two PNNL scientists will join the Washington State Academy of Sciences. Suresh Baskaran and Jun Liu will work with other scientists and engineers who provide expert scientific and engineering analysis to inform public policy-making, and work to increase the role and visibility of science in Washington state. PNNL now has 16 current WSAS members.

New Innovation Lead: Rosemarie Truman is PNNL's new Director of Innovation Impact. In this role, she is focused on building PNNL's commercialization, business engagement and economic growth activities. She also will create new startup and entrepreneurship initiatives and capabilities to boost job creation, create new markets for ideas and products, and maximize the potential impact of federal investments.

Scientific Leadership: PNNL scientist Wendy Shaw was invited to join the Skeletal Biology Development and Disease Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health. Shaw is a leader in answering vital questions about the formation of biominerals, such as enamel and bone. 

A Detailed Look at Distributed Wind: American companies are making their own power - and sales - with wind turbines located near the factories and buildings that consume the power they make. PNNL's 2015 Distributed Wind Market Report offers the fourth annual analysis of this growing field called distributed wind.

Community Spirit: PNNL scientist (and dedicated volunteer, mentor and coach) Russ Tonkyn was selected as the 2016 Battelle Community Spirit Award recipient. The award is given to staff members who have demonstrated a strong commitment to bettering the community.

PNNL Awards: Each year, the Laboratory celebrates science and engineering excellence with the Laboratory Director's Science and Engineering Achievement Awards. Recipients made significant contributions to their respective fields. Honorees for 2016:
  • Ronald L. Brodzinski Early Career Exceptional Achievement Award: David Manz and Xiaoliang Wei 
  • Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award: Roger Rousseau 
  • Exceptional Engineering Achievement Award: John Vienna 
  • Individual Lifetime Achievement in Science & Technology Award: Richard Kouzes 
Future Buildings: The buildings of tomorrow will integrate technology to save energy, increase human comfort and much more. With this vision, PNNL and the Department of Energy organized the Connected Buildings Challenge - a competition among teams of students, entrepreneurs and engineers to make buildings smarter using PNNL's VOLTTRON™ technology platform

IEEE Honor: PNNL Laboratory Fellow Darren Kerbyson was honored with an Outstanding Service award for his work as the Program Co-Chair of the 11th IEEE International Conference on Networking, Architecture and Storage, known as NAS 2016.

Asymmetric Resilient Cybersecurity Initiative in Spotlight: In a recent edition of SIAM News, PNNL scientists showcase their progressive and ongoing work involving game-theoretic and uncertainty quantification methods in the Research Spotlight article, "Game Theory and Uncertainty Quantification for Cyber Defense Applications."  

Team Award: With collaborators, PNNL chemist Tim Bays was recognized for contributions to advancements in engine efficiency and future fuels. The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) presented a Team Award to the members of the U.S. DRIVE Advanced Combustion and Emission Control Fuels Roadmap sub-team, which created forward-looking guidelines for future fuels.
 
Cheaper, More Fish-Friendly Hydro Power: Seattle-based Whooshh Innovations received a $300,000 grant from DOE's Small Business Vouchers Pilot for PNNL researchers to evaluate their Salmon Cannon™ technology. The innovation could provide a cost-effective way for fish to migrate past dams.  

 
At PNNL, interdisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers address America's most pressing challenges in energy, environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,400 staff and has an annual budget of about $1 billion. It is managed by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. PNNL science & technology is strategically focused on inspiring and enabling the world to live prosperously, safely and securely.  

 
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory  |  902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99354  |  www.PNNL.gov
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